Fetish priest and two others remanded into custody

Accra Aug. 1, GNA – An Accra Circuit Court on Wednesday remanded a fetish priest and two others for smoking and possessing 202 wrappers of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis and 24 capsules of tramadol.

The fetish priest Stephen Ayim 24, and Derrick Agyei 22 have been charged with use of narcotic drugs without lawful authority.

The third accused Richmond Kodua 21, a student and part time bar attendant is being held for possession of 202 wrappers of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis and 24 capsules of tramadol.

Whiles Kodua pleaded not guilty to the charge. The two other accused had their pleas not taken. This was after prosecution had prayed the court to preserve their pleas pending further investigations.

The court presided over by Mrs Afi Agbanu Kudormor remanded them into Police custody following prosecution’s submissions that the case was still under investigations.

The three are expected to reappear on August 15.

Mr Kingsley Amoakwah-Boadu, Defence Counsel in his submissions for bail insisted that his clients’ plea be taken because they had been in police custody for some days and that the Police had exceeded the 48 hour period of admitting the accused to bail.

Mr Amoakwah-Boadu argued that Kodua was a bar attendant and the Police Patrol team arrested him and the two other accused at the bar at Oyarifa junction, near Abokobi.

Counsel said the supposed bag containing the drugs was not found at the bar adding the facts presented had no nexus to the charges.

He said if his clients were admitted to bail they had people of substance to stand as sureties.

Prosecution narrated that the complainant in the matter is a Police Officer stationed at Osu, Accra and was in charge of a Patrol Team at Oyarifa and its environs.

On July 29, this year the Patrol team swooped on the accused who were publicly smoking dried leaves suspected to be cannabis at Otisco bar.

The accused upon seeing the Patrol Team took to their heels but were chased and arrested at the bar together with a bag containing 202 wrappers of dried leaves and 24 pieces of tramadol.

Prosecution said the accused were handed over to the Adenta Police for further investigations adding that the drugs were yet to be sent to the Police Forensic Laboratory.